Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. For many
years scientists and researchers have worked around the clock to try and
find cures for every type of cancer. To the present day we are still
learning about this deadly disease, and without a cure, we are left
watching out for signs and symptoms that can help lead to a diagnosis.
Take ovarian cancer for example, according to statistics, Canada was
estimated to have 2,800 cases of this cancer and 1,750 deaths from those
cases in 2016. The United States was estimated to have 22,280 new cases
and a total of 14,240 deaths in 2016.
The reason why there is such a high death total is that this cancer
is incredibly hard to diagnose. There is currently no test that can be
done to diagnose it, and the symptoms are often mistaken for other
diseases. However, new research has indicated that there are promising
signs and symptoms of early ovarian cancer.
Before I get into the early signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer,
here is a little bit of information about the disease. There are three
types of ovarian cancer; first, you have the epithelial tumors, which
start on the tissue that is found outside of the ovaries. Almost 90
percent of ovarian cancer cases are epithelial tumors. Next, you have
the stromal tumors; they start on the ovarian tissue that is responsible
for producing hormone cells. These tumors are diagnosed at the early
stages and about 7 percent of ovarian tumors are stromal. The last type
is germ cell tumors; they start in the egg-producing cells. Generally,
this type of tumor only occurs in younger women.
Risk Factors:
Like most diseases, there are certain
risk factors that need to be taken into consideration when talking about
ovarian cancer. Take your age for example; anyone can be diagnosed with
ovarian cancer, but those who are 50 to 60 years old have a higher risk
of being diagnosed with it. Also, it is possible to inherit the gene
mutation that causes it. The gene is breast cancer gene 1 and breast
cancer gene 2.
Diagnosis:
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As I mentioned, there is no test that can
show ovarian cancer, but there are other tests that can help doctors
make a decision. The first test is an imaging test that includes an
ultrasound or CT scan of the pelvis and abdomen. These two tests can
help tell the size and shape of a woman’s ovaries. The second test is a
blood test that can detect a protein (CA 125) that is usually found in
ovarian cancer cases.
Stages of Ovarian Cancer:
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There are 4 stages of
ovarian cancer. Stage 1 of ovarian cancer is when the cancer is found in
one or both ovaries. Stage 2 is when the cancer has begun to spread to
other areas of the pelvis. In stage 3, the cancer has now spread to the
abdomen. The final stage is when the cancer is found outside the
abdomen. On the next page, you will find the most common early signs of
ovarian cancer.
